Two Miami Heat Players Look to Break Their Unfortunate NBA Trend

The Miami Heat appear destined to return to the NBA playoffs following their acquisition of Giannis Antetokounmpo, but the postseason berth could mean even more for two players on the roster.

Simone Fontecchio and Nick Richards have both built respectable NBA careers without ever appearing in a playoff game, placing them among the active players with the most regular-season experience without postseason action.

With Miami expected to compete for a playoff spot, both players could finally have the opportunity to end that unfortunate streak while playing important roles for the Heat.

The graphic below highlights just how rare their situations have become among active NBA players.

Most regular season games played without a single playoff game among active players…

Hopefully some streaks broken this year pic.twitter.com/lTAqcp73cw

— Basketball University (@UofBasketball) September 1, 2026

That’s not a list you want to be on.

Here is how each got there, and can get off…..

1. Nick Richards

Nick Richards has spent his career in Charlotte, Phoenix, and had a short 20 game stint in Chicago. But now, he gets to compete in Miami, an organization with a winning culture, and a top 5 player. Richards was brought to Miami to bring depth into the back court and help take the pressure off of Miami’s bench unit in the rebounding and size department. Richards joins a room with Bam Adebayo, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis, and Nikola Jovic, and will certainly compete for minutes on the back of Miami’s bench. In Chicago last year he played 22 minutes a night in route to 9 points and 7 rebounds per game. Richards will need to embrace his role in Miami, and it will lead to his first taste of the playoffs.

Note- Richards has only played in 305 games. 106-199

2. Simone Fontecchio

Fontecchio missed the Utah Jazz’s success, along with that of the Detroit Pistons, and he came to Miami last season when they ultimately missed the playoffs for the first time in quite some time. Fontecchio was brought back to bring size and three-point capabilities to Miami, and he should play a key role off the bench.

“Fontecchio’s ability to thrive without the ball should allow him to fit seamlessly alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo while also providing a scoring boost for Miami’s second unit. He ranked in the 82nd percentile among all NBA players in ODPM, the 80th percentile in several three-point shooting categories, and the 98th percentile in defensive rebounding impact this past season.”

Austin Dobbins

While the Heat have the pieces to compete in the tough Eastern Conference, they won’t be able to do it without support from their bench units, and the different rotations Erik Spoelstra throws at opponents. Each player on the Miami Heat will have a role to embrace that will lead to wins, and Nick Richards and Simone Fontecchio need to embrace these roles.

If the two of them can do that, and the Heat can stay healthy, both players will finally get to taste the playoffs.